A UK-based veterinarian has revealed a list of poisons and toxins that pet owners really need to know about, but are often unaware of.
Content creator @ben.the.vet shared the list in a video on TikTok, where he has over 208,000 followers.
He captioned the video: “If your pet has ingested these toxic substances, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Early intervention increases the chances of successful treatment.”
Ben then continued with a list of items that can cause companion animals to become seriously ill and even die.
In the video he said: “First up is lilies. People who have cats should never have lilies in their homes.
“I understand that when someone gives you a nice bouquet of flowers, it's really hard to throw them away, but it's not worth the risk.
“I've seen several cats die from lily poisoning. It can cause kidney failure and is often fatal. All parts of the lily plant are poisonous, but many In this case, pollen is the culprit.
“It falls onto the surface of the fur. Cats lick it or ingest it and become poisoned.”
His second choice was human painkillers.
Ben said, “Never administer medication to your pet yourself.”Again, these are [ibuprofen and paracetamol] It is especially toxic to cats. Even small amounts can cause kidney failure, severe stomach ulcers, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
“Similarly, ibuprofen is also very toxic to dogs. Paracetamol can be used as a pain reliever, but you should never give paracetamol to your dog without veterinary advice, as overdose is especially easy in small dogs. ”
Moving on to the third item, he listed the artificial sweetener xylitol.
He said: '[It’s] Although safe for humans to eat, it can be extremely dangerous to dogs and cats and is found in many products such as chewing gum, mouthwash, and some sweets such as gummy bears. ”
He added that it's usually dogs that get sick from ingesting xylitol, saying, “There's a kind of glitch in the system where the dog's body recognizes xylitol as if it were sugar and releases insulin. “This can cause blood sugar levels to drop to dangerously low levels.” It can also cause seizures, coma, and death. ”
Fourth, Ben mentioned antifreeze. It's one of many automotive products that contain ethylene glycol, including screen washes, engine coolants, and windshield de-icers.
He said: '[This] This is a substance that, when ingested by dogs and cats, can form crystals in various organs, including the brain and kidneys.
“This can cause neurological symptoms and can also lead to kidney failure. Interestingly, and no joke, one of the treatment options for ethylene glycol toxicity is intravenous vodka.
And finally, he listed a fifth unexpected toxic substance: moldy food.
“This tends to be more of a dog problem than a cat problem,” he explained.
“I once saw a small terrier who was shaking violently.
“At first, we didn't know what was causing it. It wasn't until the owner looked in the garden and found his dog in the compost bin that we realized it was due to exposure to mold toxins. .Nerve function may decline and seizures may occur.
“The dog was in a very bad condition, but thankfully he made a full recovery.”
